STORYLINE: New Mexico (17-20-1) takes a break from Mountain West action with a mid-week game at Texas Tech Tuesday, April 27 at 6 p.m. CDT. The Lobos, winners of 10 of their last 12 MWC games, vaulted into first place in the league standings over the weekend after taking two of three games at UNLV. UNM has won 11 of its last 15 games overall and has a 1/2-game lead over the Rebels with a 13-5 conference mark.

The Red Raiders, ranked No. 28 by Collegiate Baseball, also enter the contest on a hot streak as they claimed two of three games over No. 13 Oklahoma last weekend in Lubbock. Texas Tech (27-13) has won 10 of its last 12 games and sits in fourth place in the Big 12 standings with an 8-6 record.

The Lobos defeated the Red Raiders earlier this season in Albuquerque, 4-1. Down 1-0 in the seventh, UNM scored three runs in the inning to rally for the victory on March 16. Cooper Eddy fired seven strong innings in the win, striking out five and scattering four hits while only allowing one run.

New Mexico returns to MWC action with a three-game series at San Diego State this weekend (April 30-May 2).

QUICK LOOK AT THE LOBOS (17-20-1, 13-4 MWC): The Lobos took two of three games at UNLV last weekend (April 23-25) to pass them for first place in the Mountain West standings...UNM has won 10 of its last 12 MWC games and 11 of its last 15 overall...the Lobos are batting .383 in their last three series (spanning nine games) with 110 runs, 24 homers and 100 RBI...during that span, UNM is averaging 12.2 runs per game and 15.6 hits per game.

NOTES FROM THE UNLV SERIES: The Lobos won two out of three games over UNLV last weekend in Las Vegas...UNM fell in the opener, 5-4, but took game two, 11-4, and game three, 12-4...New Mexico hit .350 in the series...UNM outscored UNLV, 27-13, and outhit the Rebels, 41-26...Josh Mader batted .615 in the series (8-for-13)...in the game two win, Chris Dabbs went 3-for-4 with four RBI and three runs, including a three-run homer...Karsten Gaarder pitched 5.1 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win in game two...Sean Murray, Josh Mader and A.J. Spitaleri each had three hits in the season finale...Cooper Eddy tossed seven innings, allowing two runs and six hits to pick up his fourth win of the season in Sunday's win.

DON'T LEAVE FOR THE BALLPARK WITHOUT THEM - CAN'T MISS NOTES:

* Twenty-one of the Lobos' first 38 games have come against teams with a winning record, and 15 of those games were against teams either ranked in the Top 25 or receiving votes in the national polls. As of April 26, Arkansas is ranked No. 12 in the country and Texas A&M is at No. 16.

*The Lobos have won nine of their last 12 games at Isotopes Park and four in a row...after getting off to a tough start at "The Reactor" with a 0-7-1 record in the first eight games, UNM is now 9-10-1 all-time in its new home.

* After playing 11 of 15 games at home in March, the Lobos will play only three of their 15 games in April at home...the Lobos do not play at home until May 14...UNM is in the midst of an 18-game road swing.

GET OUT THOSE BINOCULARS - LOBOS TO WATCH:

* Junior centerfielder and leadoff hitter Matt Young is the team's offensive spark. Young leads the team in runs (47) and on-base percentage (.475), and is third in the MWC in batting (.380). His eight triples rank third in the nation and lead the MWC. Young is also hitting a phenomenal .559 with runners in scoring position, which leads the Mountain West.

* Junior shortstop Josh Mader is making a run at MWC Player of the Year honors with an excellent season at the plate. Mader leads the Mountain West with a .396 batting average to go along with six homers and 38 RBI. He is also third in the MWC in hits (61) and fourth in slugging (.578). In conference games, Mader leads the league in slugging (.773), on-base percentage (.517) and is tied in homers (five), RBI (25) and runs (23). In his last 10 games, Mader is batting .500 (22-for-44) with six homers and 19 RBI.

* Sophomore catcher A.J. Spitaleri leads the team with a .400 batting average and is hitting .545 (12-for-22) over his last 10 games. Spitaleri went 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs in Sunday's 12-4 win over UNLV.

ON DECK: The Lobos return to Mountain West action with a three-game set at San Diego State this weekend (April 30-May 2).

LAST TIME AGAINST TEXAS TECH: The New Mexico baseball team scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to rally past Texas Tech, 4-1, March 16 at Isotopes Park. Junior right-hander Cooper Eddy won his second consecutive start by only allowing four hits and one run in seven innings of work, while striking out five.

Eddy and Texas Tech starter Michael McGowan had an excellent pitcher's duel in the beginning stages of the game. McGowan, who had a no-hitter through four innings, was taken out in the fifth with Lobo runners on second and third, but reliever Juan Razo got out of the jam on a groundout.

Eddy surrendered his only run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning, giving the Red Raiders a slim 1-0 lead.

The Lobo bats came alive in the bottom of the inning, however, scoring three runs on four hits. With runners on first and third, leadoff hitter Matt Young drilled a triple to the gap in left-center field, scoring Jay Russell and Ryan Barba for the 2-1 Lobo lead. Garrick Haymore
brought in Young with a single to left for the 3-1 advantage.

The Lobo bullpen then came on to close the game for Eddy. Jason Fernandez pitched a perfect eighth and Joe Salas closed the ninth for his first save of the season.

Barrett Pliler took the loss for Texas Tech after giving up two runs on three hits in the seventh.

New Mexico added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a Russell double that plated Sean Murray. Murray went 2-for-4 in the game with two doubles.

AROUND THE HORN -

OFFENSIVELY: The Lobos are batting .317 as a team (second in the MWC) and lead the league with 47 homers. In conference action, UNM has been dominating, leading the league in batting (.359), runs (178), slugging (.579), hits (242), RBI (162) and home runs (32). The Lobos have been on a tear as of late, batting .383 in their last three series (spanning nine games) with 110 runs, 24 homers and 100 RBI. During that span, UNM is averaging 12.2 runs per game and 15.6 hits per game.

DEFENSIVELY: The Lobos have commited 54 errors for a .963 fielding percentage (opponents - 50 E, .966 pct.), which is third in the Mountain West. The Lobos lead the league in fielding double plays with 43.

PITCHING: Opponents are batting .294 against UNM pitching and have scored 267 runs (7.1 per game). UNM's staff ERA is 6.13 (fourth in the MWC) compared to opponents' 6.18. The starter's ERA is 5.64 compared to the bullpen's 6.91.